This position performs a variety of duties reflecting organizational assessment, data consultative, research and analytic-diagnostic, scientific training or mentoring, and administrative tasks, and performs management development. This position serves also as a principal advisor in nationally based applications of personnel selection principles, organizational behavior assessment, and organizational development psychology.

Duties

This announcement will close on 06/14/2024, the first 75 applications received will receive first consideration. Applications that are submitted after 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the date in which the initial cut-off number has been reached will not receive consideration unless otherwise requested by management. NOTE: This announcement is only open to current/permanent HCM, Front office, Ilead, WMC, NCOD employees and CTAP eligible only. Duties include: Designing, administering, and analyzing measures of workforce climate, systems functioning and organizational performance on the national, regional, facility, and workgroup level. Offering continuous assessment support and related services (e.g. data processing; data reports which must include interactively-functioning and software-automated reports; custom-designed statistically-grounded data management studies conducted in follow up to assessment results) to the organization and to its leaders. Offering subject-matter expert process consultation to employees, leaders, leadership groups and work groups on all of the following areas: Knowledge of psychometry and statistics, social-behavioral science method applications, organizational behavior assessment techniques, personnel selection principles, 360 and 180 degree assessment and reporting methods, and best practices in workplace coaching and mentoring. Performing work in the administration of organization development, with an emphasis on addressing organizational needs and gaps which are analytically-determined, and performs continuous assessment, with an emphasis on using psychometrically-grounded quantitative methods established in industrial-organizational and/or personnel psychology. This work includes consulting with the Director and Research Director of NCOD on developing conceptual frameworks that reflect validated scientific models of organizational and personnel behavior; developing applied measurement concepts and tools including written and on line tests; developing coaching and mentoring methods to facilitate leaders' abilities in the incumbent's areas of expertise such as personnel selection and organizational assessment; and developing performance-based recruitment and interviewing that uses best practices in the personnel psychology field. Designing and implementing scientifically-grounded research and analysis of problems, issues, or organizational requirements relevant to VA systems and leaders. Providing expert analysis and guidance on agency-wide programs using accepted research theories, methods, techniques and practices, to include applying advanced analytic techniques to interpret statistically-grounded meaning and evaluate findings from data generated by organizational programs and systems. Assisting in reconciling conflicts between basic policies, scientifically validated practices, and program goals. Providing expert advice and recommendations to all levels of the organization, including top leaders, based on his/her knowledge of current scientific practices and research methods and his/her fluent skills in applying these methods to organizational contexts to evaluate program outcomes. Applying knowledge of scientific research methods valid in organizational (as opposed to laboratory) contexts, will apply knowledge of human factors, and knowledge of social-behavioral psychological literature to assist in the development and implementation of a program of research and assessment, to identify leadership potential and leadership-related development needs and gaps, and inform organizational plans for facilitating related growth and learning, both for individual employees and leaders and for organizations. Working with employees at all levels of the organization to develop long-range management plans for the efficient and effective operation of the organization. Participating in the documentation and evaluation of long and short range planning efforts for all levels of VA that align functions such as workforce planning, succession planning, staff focus initiatives, organizational performance, etc. Contributing to the preparation of reports and other analytically-based summaries of program planning, of organizational needs and gaps assessment, and of process and outcome evaluation plans. Assisting in designing and executing a wide variety of comprehensive management studies and in detailed analyses of complex functions and processes related to long-range planning. Identifies and proposes analytically-informed solutions to management problems of major importance to planning program direction. Preparing reports and other conceptually or empirically-grounded presentations on program planning and evaluation. Planning and/or executing special projects.

Requirements

Qualifications

Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm, Mon-Fri. Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. This is NOT at a 100% remote location. Position Description/PD#: Personnel Psychologist/PD02644A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not require To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/14/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: A Selective Placement Factor* has been requested by the facility to help determine which of the basically qualified applicants are likely to be better qualified for this position. The selective placement factor for this position is: Experience designing and serving as a lead researcher on scientific studies of organizational issues (i.e. studies using scientific models, organizational data, and statistical methods). You must provide evidence of your knowledge, skills, or abilities that meet the above Selective Placement Factor in your Resume/OF-612 in order to receive credit. *Selective Placement Factors represent knowledge, skills, or abilities that are essential for successful job performance and cannot reasonably be acquired on the job during the period of orientation/training customary for the position. Selective Placement Factors will be used for qualification purposes. Applicants with no evidence of the Selective Placement Factor present in their Resume/OF-612 will be disqualified from consideration. AND BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT- You must first meet Basic Education Requirements for this position as described below. Transcripts are REQUIRED. Basic Education Requirement Degree in Psychology: major or equivalent in psychology is required for all specializations except clinical psychology and counseling psychology. TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS- In addition to meeting the basic education requirement, you must have specialized experience as described below. GS-12 Qualifications Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. NOTE: To be minimally qualified for this position, you must meet 4 of the 6 examples of specialized experience listed below. Specialized experience is: Evaluates existing training activities including content, applicability, accuracy, and need for modifications. Identifies the need for new components to keep training relevant to the center's priorities. Develops, coordinates and updates activities, materials and products based on advances in scientific knowledge, methods, and techniques. Develops, consults on, coordinates, and/or delivers scientific training programs to personnel in the position's scientific area. Designs, coordinates, presents and modifies training courses and products based on advances in technology or practice and based on results of training needs assessments conducted. Designs, implements, and/or participates in scientific studies, surveys, investigations, or projects, to develop information in the scientific program area, such as factors of impact on healthcare cost, leadership quality, and access to services. Manages the tracking of data, methods, and findings from scientific studies which identify and solve novel or complex healthcare related problems and which represent an important segment of the agency's primary scientific program. Knowledge of scientific discipline that involves a thorough background in scientific analytic methods and thorough exposure to scientific analytic tools and techniques applied in social ­behavioral contexts, as well as exposure to action-oriented approaches to implementing change in complex organizational systems. Conducting statistical analyses and summarizing and presenting results in written and oral form to analytic audiences and to managerial or leadership audiences; fluent skills in using specialized statistical software: specifically, either R or SAS or SPSS. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Data Management Psychology Technical Competence Research Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address VHA Central Office - Human Capital Management 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]